Sheikh Raed Salah, the leader of the Islamic movement in Israel, was seriously hurt in the Israeli occupation forces' assault on the Freedom Flotilla at dawn Monday, Israeli media reported. The Israeli public radio said that the confrontation in the sea killed 19 solidarity activists, most of them from Turkey and wounded about 60 others.

Sheikh Kamal Al-Khatib, the deputy leader of the Islamic movement, charged Israel with attempting to assassinate Sheikh Salah, making use of the attack on the flotilla as an excuse. The Israeli army used live bullets and teargas bombs in the attack on the ships carrying hundreds of solidarity activists and thousands of tons of medical aid and other relief material to the besieged people of Gaza Strip.